JOHN HANCOCK TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Philadelphia, July 19, 1775.

SIR: The earnest desire of several members of Congress, joined to a hearty wish of rendering service to the gentlemen, induce me to take the freedom to introduce to your notice Mr. Ogden and Mr. Burr, of the Jerseys, by whom this will be handed you. They are gentlemen of reputation, and visit the camp not as spectators, but with a view of joining the Army, and being active during the campaign; I beg you will please to place them in such a department as you shall judge suitable. Your notice of these gentlemen I shall esteem a particular favour.

Your despatches reached me last evening; I shall forward you the papers immediately. The result of Congress you shall know as early as possible.

I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK.

To his Excellency General Washington.

JOHN HANCOCK, PRESIDENT, TO NEW-YORK COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Congress Chamber, July 19, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: By advice from the Army before Boston, a supply of gunpowder would be very acceptable, and greatly contribute to promote the common cause. I am therefore desired by the Congress, who have had an intimation that a quantity of that article was lately imported into your City, to apply to you and request you to send forward, as speedily and safely as possible, what you can spare, to the camp before Boston. I am, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK.

To Committee of Safety, New-York.

ADDRESS OF COMMITTEE OF SAFETY OF HILLSBOROUGH TO GENERAL SULLIVAN.

To the Honourable JOHN SULLIVAN, Esquire, Brigadier-General of the Continental Army:

SIR: The Committee of Safety for the County of Hillsborough, in the Colony of New-Hampshire, having in contemplation the great services you lately rendered the County in your civil capacity, and the great abilities you then exerted at the bar in their defence, at a time when the people were most cruelly oppressed by the tools of Government, pray leave to address and congratulate you on your appointment to the rank of Brigadier-General—an appointment which, as it distinguishes your merit, so at the same time it reflects honour upon, and shews the penetrating discernment of those truly eminent patriots from whom you received it, and of whom are composed the Continental Congress. Nor are we less sanguine in our expectations of the high advantages which must result (under God) to the publick, by your military skill and courage, as you have been indefatigable in attaining the first, and have given a recent instance of the latter, to your great honour and reputation, in depriving our enemies of the means of annoying us at Castle William and Mary, and at the same time furnishing us with materials to defend our invaluable rights and privileges.

This, Sir, must be ever had in remembrance, and (amongst the actions of others, our heroes of 1775) handed down to the latest posterity. That the Almighty may direct your counsels, be with you in the day of battle, and that you may be preserved as a pattern to this people for many years to come, is our fervent prayer.

Per order:

MATTHEW PATTIN, Chairman.

July 19, 1775.

General SULLIVAN’S Answer.

To the Honourable the Committee of Safety for the County of HILLSBOROUGH:

GENTLEMEN: Your polite congratulatory Address upon my appointment to the rank of Brigadier-General in the American Army, demands my most sincere and cordial thanks. Your approbation of my conduct while at the bar, acting in defence of an injured people against the arbitrary tools of Government, gives me the highest satisfaction.

The favourable opinion which you have formed of my courage and military skill, must alone be a sufficient inducement for me to exert myself at this important day, and, if possible, prevent you from being disappointed in your expectations. It gives me great pleasure to find that so respectable a number of the worthy sons of freedom, in the Colony to which I belong, have so publickly given their approbation of my conduct in assisting to secure the warlike stores at Fort William and Mary, and thereby preventing those evils which must have resulted from our enemies having the possession of them. That the important office you sustain may be ever held by such worthy patriots, who, while they so nobly exert themselves in defence of our common liberties, are endeavouring to strengthen the hands of others, is, gentlemen, the earnest prayer of your most obedient servant,

JOHN SULLIVAN.

Camp at Winter Hill, August 10, 1775.

GENERAL SULLIVAN TO THE NEW-HAMPSHIRE COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Medford, July 19, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: As we have no matters regulated in manner ordered by the Congress as yet, I can give no exact account of the state of our affairs till that time. We are in great want of bayonets for our men; I would entreat you to send some of different sizes, and a person who understands fixing them to the guns. I am sorry to inform you, that the New-Hampshire forces are without a Chaplain, when the Continental Congress have voted pay for a Chaplain in each regiment. Our men are obliged to attend prayers with the Rhode-Island Regiment, and when they assemble, the concourse is so great that few of them can hear a word that is said. It being essentially necessary in an army to keep up divine worship, I doubt not you will send us a Chaplain to each Regiment.

I must remind you that it is absolutely necessary for us to have some beds for our sick men, many having died already for the want of comfortable beds to lie upon. I therefore entreat that you would buy up and send us beds, with some stuff to make cots and hammocks.

We also are in great need of guns and blankets, several having been lost in the late engagement, and several others not fit for service.

Gentlemen, I am, with respect, your most obedient servant,

JOHN SULLIVAN.

Committee of Safety.

COLONEL REID TO NEW-HAMPSHIRE COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Camp at Winter Hill, July 19, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: I received yours of the 1st instant, and note the contents. You say, without knowing I had in actual service or in my eye, any person as Adjutant of my Regiment, have commissioned Mr. McGregore, a suitable person, &c. I doubt not but Mr. McGregore is a worthy and suitable gentleman for an Adjutant, and is agreeable to me, and I wish he had been so to the Regiment; but, to my surprise, when he ordered the Guards to be paraded, I soon learnt they refused to appear. I was under the necessity to order the Captain to parade them, and they immediately obeyed. You may be assured I should have done every thing in my power to have made Mr. McGregore’s duty agreeable, but this happened at a time when no officer was in commission, nor the soldiers sworn. It was not a time to enter into a dispute; the difficulties are better known than expressed. I must beg leave to inform you, that not a single day’s duty in a regiment can be done with propriety without an Adjutant; and if ever the duty of an Adjutant was necessary, it was before the late action, as well as soon after. How could you imagine that I could do one day without both Adjutant and Quartermaster; besides, you gave me the liberty of appointing both. You say, if any person I judge suitable is disposed to act as a volunteer in that capacity, without pay, you have no objection, unless it should plainly appear to you that he would not answer the end. To which I answer, I hope in time my conduct will convince you that I have the service more at heart than to be partial in the matter. I do easily perceive, that it must be very disagreeable to the honourable Committee and the worthy gentleman, Mr. McGregore, to be disappointed; but hope you will provide for him some other way. I heartily thank the honourable Committee